Check multiple bushfire info sources: CFS

AUTHORITIES in South Australia have urged people not to rely solely on dedicated internet apps for bushfire information.

The state's Country Fire Service (CFS) says locals should use its CFS app along with radio broadcasts, email notifications and phone SMS alerts to check warnings.

The advice follows problems associated with the Country Fire Authority's app in Victoria last Friday when a total fire ban was declared there.

The CFA website and its smartphone app had more than 12 million hits over 12 hours which drastically slowed it down and eventually impaired access.

"The extreme volume of website hits experienced in Victoria has demonstrated that you should not rely on just one source to obtain bushfire information," CFS state co-ordinator Leigh Miller said on Friday.

"We've been talking to the CFA to learn from their experience and prevent similar issues happening to the CFS website.

"The CFS website and fire app systems are robust but their dependability can also be influenced by other things beyond our control such as the reliability of a service provider or mobile network connections."

Mr Miller said the CFS constantly monitored the performance of its website and fire apps as part of its regular maintenance schedule.

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